Tom R.

Does anyone know a few skilled european mechanics?

If so are they as nervous/afraid of working on American cars as the typical (competent) American mechanic is of working on German cars?

My mechanic wanted me to ask on his behalf.

Thaddeus

Yes, they are, but for exactly opposite reasons.

One has a horror of touching a well-engineered car. The other has a horror of touching a poorly designed one.



Thaddeus

Thaddeus

...and by the way, I'll let the readers figure out which is which for themselves. I'm not telling.



Thaddeus

deni durrell

Funny as Hell!!!!!!!

Brad 931

Ain't it the truth

Bob S. 1984 Silver

Gee, fellas....It isn't poor engineering, it's poor execution. As for Porsche and their vaunted excellence in engineering, I would love someone to explain (a) cardboard dashes (b) timing belts requiring a $400 tool (c) 2.7 liter 911 engines with head studs that pull out of the block (d) switches (particularly electric wondow and rear washer) that fail FAR more frequently than those on a typical Ford. I'm not knocking the company or their fine products (I have owned four different versions over the years and loved them all) but I am a realist. All cars have their strong points and their weak points. It may be fit and finish, it may be cost, it may be handling. As far as Chevy goes, ya gotta admit their vintage V8s are nearly impossible to kill, despite poor maintenance on the part of owners who don't understand the reason for an oil change. And, even with our favorite marque, look at the constant stream of questions in each board. Same problems over and over again. Porsche engineers are, if nothing else, stubborn. They will try fix after fix and sometimes never get it right. Did Porsche EVER redesign the rear deck lid of the 944 series to provide more rigidity to the metal surrounding the glass to reduce the debonding? The design itself is flawed. In that instance, Chevy had it right with the Camaro. Take a look!!

Flame if you must, but I have been under the hoods of hundreds of cars fixing AC and electrical problems so I know a bit of which I speak.

Forgive the rant, but when you have worked on as many marques over the years as I have, you learn thay all have warts.

Cheers!!

Bob S. (soon to have no one wanting to speak to me)

phil951

I agree with bob.

deni durrell

1. true, he's right - but i still can't help but laugh at the realism of it all.

2. and, yes, true - each marque has its strengths and its weaknesses . . .

*however*, in applying my own (that's what it's all about no?) personal predilection : It comes down to the complex flavors of Ferry's jalopies than the simple/spartan engineering efforts of a Ford/Chevy/<insert 'merican car here>, I choose the complicated route. I think of it as Bordeaux vs. Bud Light! Things we know: Our cars are more heavily mass produced for a much larger consumer-base- you know, quality vs. quantity. Look at the maintenance that a Ferrari requires - wow! Compare that to a Honda (doh!)

3. nonetheless - it just means that we shouldn't ever take ourselves too seriously, after all this forum is great!

fwiw: no wine is ever perfect either...


(thanks bob for your insight!)

Tom R.

Didn't realize what I was starting. The question was posed to me by my mechanic while standing between my S2 and his 87 Vette Convertible with his Harley nearby.

He looked at the S2 and said to me he had no fear working on anything on the Vette but was nervous about opening up the S2, and was wondering if a German (European) mechanic would be as nervous about working on the Vette (or the trucks he works on during the day) as he is nervous about working on the S2.

Maybe it just comes from being trained in one type over the other.

BTW if you think the above post bashes Porsche, you should have heard what a guy from a 928 organization told my buddy when he called asking questions about a 928S he was thinking of buying. The guy started by saying the 928S was just the prototype for the S4, which had the bugs worked out. He then went on to explain each bug (rivets instead of bolts in motor that have to be drilled etc). scared my buddy so much he spent 3G fixing up his 300ZX, while he waits for his father to tire of his S4.

Enjoy

daly944

I have driven a whole lot of american cars, from old muscle to new "luxury", and I have driven tons of german cars, from beamers to my current 87 944. The result? There is something about the German cars that In my opinion no american car ever had nor never will. Maybe its the gorgeous full leather interior on my porsche, as opposed to that cheap stuff that chevy calls leather, or maybe its the superb handling, but I will never again own an american car. I will gladly pay higher mechanical bills to maintain a porsche because the fun factor and comfort is so much more in a porsche than any american car.

jim968

I loved my 944, I love my 968. But being realistic, I'm not blind to Porsche's weak spots... at least the ones I've already experienced (there are no doubt others lurking in the shadows).

Some _crappy_ plastics... sunvisor hooks, cassette storage box hinge, etc. I wouldn't mind this so much, but the outrageous prices they want for replacement pieces to fix what they did poorly are hard to overlook.

E-bloody-lectrical gremlins... oh, yeah! Corrosion in wire connectors, spastic climate control, busted wires in the door hinge harness... uh, huh! Does Lucas own Bosche?

The early 944 water pumps... ah, yes... "Novun else had ever designed a vater pump, so ve vere forced to experiment on the buying public."

968 pinion bearings... nope, I haven't had the joy, and I know it was Get-rag's fault, but Porsche has pretty consistently failed to treat the victims well....

But, hey, I could own a Furd or Chevvalay, and have even more hassles with no pleasure as payback.

So I'll probably keep the 968 for more or less ever, since I can't think of anything I'd rather drive. But I'll also keep my Toyota 4x4 pickup for when the Porsche has "bad-hair" days...

Jim, "Some cheese with that whine, Sir?"

fletch.

Bob points out a few of the many many poor designed parts that Porsche has let out the door. These are problems from the mid 70's to the mid to late 80's. When you compare the Chevy of that era you have far more problems.

The simplest way to put it is that there is not to many cars from Chevy from say 1975 to 1985 worth keeping, these cars have almost vanished from the road. They were junk off the assembly line, and Chevrolet has lost several generations of buyers that were coming of age in those years (me being one of them). Chevrolet is 30 –50 years past the years they were the top of the car food chain. I consider these cars background noise on the road, no one notices them, I would be surprised if anyone is proud to own one.

I think the answer is as simple as no one really cares about the cars, and most qualifies Porsche mechanics do not want to invest the time to learn the systems on cars that only stay on the road for a few years. A Porsche shop can stay in business working on just 944’s has anyone ever see a shop that works on only Chrysler “K” cars? Or how about Chevy Cavaliers?

PSUice944

FWIW,

Ok, my wrench has a few 944s, one being his turbo cup racecar, and he really knows his stuff. Furthermore he does 911s just as much, has a Pantera shell he has tinkered with, drives a GMC cyclone for a summer beater, and an Explorer for a winter beater, seen him tune Ferarri 308s (i think) and some other goodies (993TT! so pretty!)

Once I was talking to him between that little Ferarri, the last generation POS Camero (he agreed, but he was gettin paid), a 951 up on the rack in front of me, and his buddies harley and friend's hogs he was helping tune a bit before a ride!

So, a mechanic is a mechanic, tools are tools, and knowledge is the power, right? They all burn gas and put the power to the ground eh!?

my little more than $.02...

Tabor

I just though I should point out that GM invented electronic fuel injection and sold it to Bosche.

So you all have a little bit of GM in your cars.

With that said, GM's are death traps.

Ahmet

I just thought I should point out that Bosche is spelled 'Bosch'...

My take on the cars: There are many great american automobiles on the road, just as there's crap, same with the europeans. I like german cars (ofcourse Porsches in general), don't mind helping a friend work on a 67 stang for example, but much happier helping work on a beetle of the same year

Would I be wrong to assume that on avarage european cars have better braking and handling vs. american cars' better acceleration? They're all cars, but very different cars indeed.

Ahmet <--who loves 944s, and not much else.